Fourth graders generate written summaries from non-fiction articles.  In this writing lesson, 4th graders determine what must be included in writing a good summary and then work in small groups to construct summaries after reading...

Students read about colds and influenza while practicing reading techniques.

In this language arts worksheet, students examine a blank spider map which could help organize ideas for a report or book response. Students write their topic in the center circle and the main ideas on the slanted lines that connect to...

Young scholars evaluate newspaper articles. In this newspaper article lesson students compare newspaper articles. They  comment on headlines, language choices, quality and clarity, and impact on the reader.

Students are able to explain the ecological importance of phytoplankton. They describe the components that influence a phytoplankton bloom. Students interpret satellite images in order to correlate buoy data.

Twelfth graders examine how to evaluate reading material by using direct quotations. They read a Newsweek magazine article, answer questions, underline the passage that supports their written response, and write a letter to a senator...

In this prewriting activity, students fill in an idea web. No topic is given or suggested. The web can be used with any reading selection and is an organizer with circles for main ideas and lines for related facts.

Reading is fantastic, especially when it's reading about bullfrogs. Kids get cozy with predator/prey relationships as they hone their information-reading skills. They start out as they read a portion of the text aloud, then they...

Blend art and family into one lesson with an activity involving oil pastels and watercolors. After viewing a few famous portraits of families, learners create masterpieces that represent their own families.

Making inferences and drawing conclusions is a key component to successful active reading. Encourage your class to use context clues and prior knowledge to infer different elements of a story, including the setting, plot, and character...

Learners take a gallery walk around the classroom to view various images and quotes. As they walk, they write down what they notice and wonder about what they see. After discussing their notice and wonder notes, they read the...

Support your learners as they work on writing paragraphs by providing graphic organizers, outlines, and frames. Sift through this packet to find the perfect organizers and templates to prepare pupils for writing. The resource...

If you need to bulk up your reading comprehension worksheet collection, take a look at a resource that includes graphic organizers and reading comprehension questions. The series of 50 worksheets addresses novels such as Julie of...

Provide scholars with an opportunity to practice summarizing text with a two-page learning exercise. Learners read poems, share stories with their peers, and summarize their new-found-knowledge. 

Shh! No talking during the discussion! Using the resource, scholars engage in a silent discussion called a Chalk Talk activity to analyze the purpose of a newspaper article. Additionally, they read a model newspaper article and try to...

With the help of a prewriting activity, scholars reserach a topic and compose an expository essay to show what they know about a topic of their choice. 

Make the thought process visible with a handy concept map organizer. As learners develop their main ideas in research, writing, or creative development, they can add details and like ideas to the worksheet as needed.

How do authors develop the main ideas in their writing? Pupils consider the question as they read and analyze paragraphs 27–31 from Julia Alvarez's essay "A Genetics of Justice," in which Alvarez describes her decision to become a...

The summarizer’s job in a literature circle is to identify the key events in a story and to use those main ideas to craft a summary. Give this one-page learning exercise to each of your summarizers to assist them in drafting their summary.

Elementary and middle schoolers research animal facts and use them in a fable. First, they pair-share to find animal traits to use in writing a fable. They then complete a prewriting worksheet. After going through the writing process,...

What does the term "lifestyle" mean? What constitutes an active lifestyle? What constitutes a healthy lifestyle? The main ideas in this lesson plan focus on what an active healthy lifestyle looks like. There are questions for discussion,...

Comic strips are engaging, valuable tools for learners to demonstrate their understanding, convey main ideas and thoughts, and express their inner creativity! Be sure to check out the related materials of this resource, which include...

After reading a short passage about self reflection, individuals are asked to restate the main ideas in the article in their own words.

What is the main difference between an engineer and a technician?  This is one of the driving questions in a plan that proves that analysis at every step of development is crucial to the engineering design process. The lesson...